The following document is an interim report on studies made to determine the optimum time-temperature treatment to produce a recrystallized grain structure in gamma extruded uranium."

Relatively frequent agitator failures in HAPO Separations Plants have interfered with process continuity, contributed to process difficulties, and resulted in considerable maintenance expense. Predominantly the failures have been because of gear-reduction drive unit break-down or because of metallic fatigue and degeneration of the shaft-paddle assemblies. A simplified, slow-speed, direct drive agitator, previously described in HW-52755, proved to be quite durable and satisfactory during extended testing, operating without incident for over 10,000 hours. Subsequent operation of the agitator in the Redox Plant has been equally smooth. Total operating time (combined test and production use) is now in excess of 21,000 hours. Since the slow speed agitation principle has been adequately demonstrated at Redox and Purex canyon applications. This report describes the development and testing of such a "universal" agitator.